KSh 8 Million Bhang Exhibit Swapped for Sawdust In Busia.
In a major security breach at the Port Victoria Law Courts in Busia County, an exhibit consisting of six bags of bhang (cannabis sativa), weighing approximately 268 kilograms and valued at KSh 8 million, has been mysteriously replaced with an equal quantity of sawdust.
The contraband was key evidence in Criminal Case E116 of 2024, The Republic vs Hesbon Wafula, where the accused was produced in court on October 28, 2025. Court officials discovered the substitution during routine checks or preparations for trial proceedings, exposing a serious lapse in the chain of custody for seized narcotics stored in the court's exhibit room.
The incident has sparked widespread concern over the integrity of evidence handling in the judicial system, particularly for high-value drug-related cases in the region. Authorities suspect internal involvement, as gaining access to the secure exhibit store would require bypassing locks, security personnel, and standard protocols designed to prevent such tampering. The replacement material—sawdust—was carefully packaged to mimic the original bags in weight and appearance, indicating a deliberate and sophisticated effort to deceive investigators and the court. This development has effectively undermined the prosecution's case, potentially leading to the dismissal of charges against the accused due to the absence of credible physical evidence.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are expected to launch a thorough probe into the matter, including questioning court staff, security guards, and anyone with access to the storage area. The scandal highlights ongoing challenges in combating drug trafficking in western Kenya, where Busia serves as a key transit point near the Uganda border. Judicial and law enforcement leaders have called for immediate reforms to strengthen exhibit management, including enhanced surveillance, stricter access controls, and regular audits to restore public confidence in the handling of narcotics cases.
